Sol of Mexico sells tortillas made fresh daily

Friday

Nov 28, 2008 at 6:00 AM

By Barbara M. Houle FOOD EDITOR

Happy Thanksgiving, foodies.

Good news with the opening of a new business, Sol of Mexico, 538 Pleasant St., Worcester. It’s a dream come true for owner Emma Acevedo of Worcester, who was born in Mexico and has lived in the United States for 20 years.

Her “tortilleria,” which opened about a month ago, sells corn tortillas made fresh daily. Nothing else. Don’t go to the place and expect to sit down and order Mexican food. It’s not a restaurant.

What you will get is a package of 15 warm corn tortillas for $1. A tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread that can be eaten plain or wrapped around various fillings. Tortillas are the base for tacos, burritos and a multitude of other dishes. Acevedo will gladly give you an idea or two on how you can use the tortillas. You can stash them in the refrigerator for seven to eight days. You warm a tortilla in a skillet for 30 seconds on each side before filling it, according to Acevedo. “It’s so easy.”

Delicious, too.

Acevedo uses a tortilla oven from Mexico to make 600 fresh tortillas an hour. Her brother, who owns a tortilleria in Mexico that produces 24,000 tortillas an hour, encouraged her to open a business, she said.

She said she has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. “So many people in the community helped me get started in the business,” she said. “This is all new to me, and I don’t know how I would have done it without them.”

Acevedo’s parents from Mexico stayed in Worcester six months to help out. “My 82-year-old father cleaned and painted with me,” Acevedo said. “My mother cared for our children.”

Acevedo, who studied hotel and restaurant management, has seven brothers and four sisters. She is married to Albeiro Acosta. The couple have two children. She previously worked in bilingual programs in Worcester public schools. “I loved teaching the children,” she said. “Sometimes we made tortillas for Cinco de Mayo.”

Check out Champion’s Restaurant at Pleasant Valley County Club in Sutton for a new dining experience.

The restaurant is open to the public through Dec. 20 for lunch and dinner. Thursday, Friday and Saturday hours: lunch, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; dinner, 5 to 9 p.m. Lunch only is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. The restaurant is closed Mondays.

Executive chef Allen Granberg, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, does a great job with homemade soups and stews. His “soup trio” features a choice of New England clam chowder (a popular choice of members of the club), lamb stew or smoked beef chili. Take my word, they all are wonderful. I admit I’d go for the smoked beef chili on a cold December night.

Braised short rib on bleu cheese and arugula mashed potatoes is the kind of real comfort food he prepares. So is the macaroni and cheese with truffles. If you’re in the mood for seafood, try the pine nut encrusted halibut on a white bean puree or Parmesan and almond encrusted flounder. Surf and turf is available for the heavy hitters. Desserts on the menu include a pumpkin crème brûlée, pecan and apple crisp and chocolate panna cotta.

General manager Stephen Mingolla, son of PV owners Ted and Audrey Mingolla, said, “The Blackstone Valley is in need of a good, inviting and memorable restaurant, and we think Champion’s is it. We look forward to welcoming new diners. I hope people will be curious enough to give it a try.”

Pleasant Valley is a hidden gem, according to Mingolla, who said, “PV offers quality, fresh food at reasonable prices and welcomes the opportunity to compete with some of the better restaurants in the greater Worcester area.”

I’d say the chef is ready for action.

Granberg of Paxton is especially fond of Italian cuisine. He cooks from scratch and is a pro at making homemade breads and special butters such as cranberry-apple. The busy chef caters private parties for residents at The Villas at Pleasant Valley Country Club in addition to special and private functions at the club.

He and his wife, Carolyn, have two children, Bradley, 4, and Jack, 18 months.

I’m a pretty fussy eater, so I wouldn’t steer you wrong. Give Champion’s a try while you still have the chance. The plan right now is to re-open the restaurant to the public again in the spring.

I’ve bumped into Ted and Audrey Mingolla at city restaurants when I’m out and about. I talked to Ted Mingolla at PV the other day about the local restaurant scene, chefs, etc. “What’s new on your list of favorite places to eat out?” I asked. He pointed downstairs to Champion’s.

Good choice, I’d say.

But don’t think for a minute he isn’t checking out the competition!

•

Last week, we told you about the fab Holiday Wine Dinner planned at the Webster House Restaurant in Worcester.

The date should have read Dec. 3. The food goddess (me) has so many parties on her list she gets crazed once and a while!

Give it up for Dana Morey, chef/instructor at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, who this week took over as the new general manager at Irish Times Pub, 244 Main St., Worcester. Don’t worry, kids. He’s keeping his day job.

Morey called the reopening of Irish Times “exciting.” Expect to see local live bands perform on the second floor of the pub in a new venue called The Mansion. The upstairs nightclub previously was “Rehab.”

The scene at Irish Times tomorrow night will be big, Morey said. This is the weekend when college kids “reunite.”

In September, the Telegram & Gazette reported that the Irish Times was sold at a foreclosure auction. The sole bid was $300,000.

I join everyone in the food biz in wishing Morey the best.

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A spokesman for the new Playa Del Carmen, a Mexican family restaurant and Cantina, 700 Main St., Holden, told me earlier this week that the target date for opening the place is tomorrow. “If it doesn’t happen, the opening date moves to Monday,” he said.

Call (508) 829-7700 before heading out to the restaurant. You know how these things go. Construction is behind schedule, etc., etc., etc.

This is big, foodies. There will be more than 30 wines to try, plus beer. Liquor representatives will be there to give you lots of gift-giving ideas.

Alcoholic or non-alcoholic, it’s your call.

FYI: Owners Bill and Patty Giannopoulos can offer some great pairings for food and wine. Patty Giannopoulos is a terrific cook. If I recall she has a dynamite chocolate recipe. How about a champagne pairing?

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The Chowder Fest at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton held Sunday was a big success. Students in the school’s Junior American Culinary Federation were sponsors.

The first place chef’s award for chowder went to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Worcester; second place, Cedar Street Restaurant in Sturbridge; Specialty chowder: first place, Cedar Street Restaurant; second place, The Two Amigos (culinary students).

The People’s Choice Award for clam chowder: first place, Outback Steak House in Auburn; second place, Tantasqua Regional High School in Sturbridge; Specialty chowder: first place, The Two Amigos; second place, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School in Fitchburg.

Congrats to all.

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An in-store Grand Wine Tasting at Lynch’s Riverview Wine & Spirits, 16 Mendon St., Uxbridge, will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 7. The father and son team of Chuck and Jay Lynch will be hosts. More than 50 wines, plus hors d’oeuvres. Call (508) 278-5100 for more info.

If you have a tidbit for this column, call (508) 793-9145. Send e-mail to bhoule@telegram.com.

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